The table of contents for this volume of the 'Library of the World's Best Literature' presents an eclectic mix: Henry Cuyler Bunner's light verse sits alongside John Bunyan's allegorical combat with Apollyon, and Robert Burns's vernacular poems follow Frances Burney's epistolary fiction. The editorial apparatus—introductory essays by figures like Richard Henry Stoddard and E. L. Godkin—frames each author within a critical tradition. Yet the catalog category 'Fantasy & Juvenile Worlds' seems a poor fit for the actual contents, which lean heavily toward moral instruction, religious reflection, and social commentary. The excerpt from an unsigned essay on 'homespun' society, for instance, dwells on the virtues of plain worship and theological debate, not fantasy.

Catalog vs. Content: The 'Fantasy' Mismatch

The Project Gutenberg record assigns this volume to 'Fantasy & Juvenile Worlds,' but the excerpts offer no dragons, magic, or child protagonists. Instead, the longest sample describes a New England meeting-house service: 'the pulpit is overhung by an august wooden canopy called a sounding-board,' and the congregation 'appear like men who have a digestion for strong meat.' The essay celebrates 'homespun worship' and 'sturdy homespun' dress, with no hint of the fantastic. Even Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress' excerpt—the closest to allegory—is presented as moral instruction, not juvenile fantasy. The category may derive from Bunyan's presence, but the volume's overall tone is earnest and didactic.

The Editorial Voice: Moralizing the 'Best'

The unsigned essay on 'homespun' society reveals the editors' criteria for inclusion: literature should elevate. It praises a community where 'great thoughts are brewing' and 'free-will, fixed fate, foreknowledge absolute' are discussed. The essay itself models a style of cultural commentary that blends description with approval, noting that 'nothing is dull that has the matter in it.' This moral framework extends to the author introductions: Stoddard's headnote on Burns likely emphasizes his rustic sincerity, and Godkin's on Burke focuses on political oratory. The anthology thus curates not just texts but a value system, prioritizing works that edify.

Structure and Selection: A Sampler, Not a Survey

With 21 text sections spanning from Bunner (born 1855) to Burke (died 1797), the volume covers roughly a century of English-language writing, but it does not aim for comprehensive coverage. Each author receives a brief critical essay followed by one or two excerpts—a 'specimen' approach typical of late-19th-century anthologies. The excerpts are short: Burns gets nine poems, but others like Burnett offer only a single scene. This format privileges variety over depth, allowing readers to sample styles without committing to full works. The editorial choice to include a lengthy essay on 'homespun' society—not attributed to any single author—suggests that the editors valued cultural analysis as 'best literature' in its own right.

Readers approaching this volume should expect a guided tour through a moralistic literary landscape, not a collection of fantasies. The excerpts are best understood as exhibits in an argument about what constitutes 'best' literature—an argument that prizes edification, plain speech, and communal values. The editorial essays provide context but also a lens; the volume rewards those who read both the selections and the framing.